Happily Ever After
by ArollaPine
Summary: Adrien and Marinette are adults. They have a family now - three children: Hugo, Emma and Louis. One Sunday they start telling the story how they got known about each other secret identity. Warning - a lot of Season 2 spoilers! :-)
1. Sunday morning

_This is an AU story where Adrien and Marinette are adults, with a family._

_Enjoy reading!_

_A._

_x x x_

It was a lazy Sunday morning. The sun somehow broke through the window blinds and shone in Marinette's eyes. She closed her eyes and rolled over. It was better now. She opened her eyelids and met Adrien's happy gaze.

"Good morning, M'Lady." He said with his cat-smile.

"Could you stop reflecting the sun?" She asked, smiling at him in response.

"I try. But you forbade me to dye." he reminded her.

"Someone would finally realise that you're patrolling the city as Cat Noir." She replied.

"But just think about it. I would look seductive as a black-haired Cat Noir."

"Watch out, because you'll fall into narcissism." she warned him. "You'll spend hours in front of the mirror, in love with yourself."

"Never!" he assured her. "I've been in love only with you. And I always will."

"Really? You're not bored yet?"

"Marinette…" he began in stern voice and pulled her closer.

He was about to kiss her when they heard a soft voice from the door:

"Mommy?"

Marinette giggled when she saw Adrien's expression.

"How do they do it?" He asked in a whisper.

"This is called a radar, Kitty." She whispered and stroked his cheek. "What's up, Emma?" She asked louder, rising to her elbow.

"Can I come to you?"

"Sure, Sunshine." Marinette agreed immediately, and Adrien just sighed. But he smiled at the sight of green-eyed four-year-old blond jumping on their bed. His female copy. And she also reflected the sun.

"Because Hugo says you're not Ladybug!" Emma immediately complained.

"How's that possible?" Marinette was surprised.

"You told me that if someone asks, I should say that you're not." The six-year-old boy grumbled from the threshold. He had black hair after his mother, but his eyes were as green as his father and sister.

"But I didn't mean the family!" Marinette laughed.

"So, if grandpa Gabriel asks, can I say?" Hugo asked, squinting, and her parents exchanged quick glances.

"Hugo…" Adrien began seriously, but Marinette silenced him with her eyes.

"Come here, honey!" she called her son. "I meant our _closest_ family. Me, dad and your siblings. Understand?"

"I think so." Hugo nodded and took the opportunity to hug his mother. He was six years old, so it wasn't easy to hug her. He was almost an adult! But on the other hand, his dad was also an adult, and he hugged his mother very often. So how was it with cuddles? He made an internal note that he would have to raise this subject during a male conversation with his father.

"I could have thought about the children before…" Adrien muttered, glancing at Marinette, surrounded by Hugo and Emma.

"Yeah, sure. I almost see you going back in time." Marinette laughed, kissing the heads of her children.

"I'll bring you Louis." Adrien sighed, getting up. "You still have a place on your stomach."

"I can handle, Kitty!" she smiled at him in response.

After a while, her youngest son climbed on her. He was only eighteen months old and was still somewhat clumsy. As always, he kicked her mother under the ribs while he was climbing, but Marinette – as a superheroine – didn't even blink. Adrien leaned against the door frame and looked at his wife, besieged by their three children for a moment. Though so many years passed, he still wondered how it happened that this perfect woman had chosen him from all the guys on Earth.

Marinette looked up and smiled at him.

"I will make breakfast." he offered and before he left, he sent her a kiss.

And Marinette hugged her children more tightly. She had time to think that her life was wonderful when the phone rang.

Five minutes later she entered the kitchen as Ladybug, holding Louis in her hands that wasn't easy, because her youngest child tried to catch Plagg. Behind her, the older children ran shouting over each other who had been right in the morning.

Adrien froze in the middle of preparations for breakfast. Ladybug in the kitchen didn't mean good news.

"Yes, honey." She nodded at her husband's silent question.

"But it's Sunday…" he moaned in protest.

"It won't take time. Leave me one croissant." She whispered, passing Louis to Adrien and kissing both on the cheeks.

"Be careful, Bugaboo." he begged.

"I always am, Kitty." she smiled at him and touched his cheek. "Anyway, I'm afraid you'll have a harder task than me."

She looked meaningfully at their children. Hugo and Emma had just begun pulling each other's hair, and Louis gave the impression that today he would hunt a flying cat.

"Maybe we'll exchange?" Adrien winked at her knowingly.

"Apparently you like challenges, don't you?" She laughed in answer. "I'll be right back."

And she grabbed her magic yo-yo. After a moment she was gone. And Adrien – as always in such moments – looked through the window anxiously. He didn't like when she went out without him.

x x x

"I'm back!" Ladybug announced jumping inside the apartment through the window.

Adrien raised his head from an illustrated book he had been reading to the children. His eyes were visibly relieved when he saw his wife, and she traditionally rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to protect me every time." She murmured, anticipating his question, or rather answering a question he'd never asked. Well, unless in mind.

"I know." he muttered in reply.

"I'm a big girl."

"I know."

"So, what's the problem?" she asked, approaching the couch and taking Louis from Adrien's lap. With a skilful move, she placed the youngest son on her hip and bent to kiss her husband.

"I can't _not-worry_ about you." He whispered, holding her face close to his.

"I know, honey." She whispered seriously. "I'm also dying of anxiety when you leave without me."

"You see?!" he smiled triumphantly, as if he hadn't known it before.

"We must ask grandparents to look after children more often, then we'll be able to go out together for our special actions."

"As I understand, you mean _your_ parents."

"I wonder how you guessed it?" She winked at him and headed for the kitchen, with Louis on her hip. "Have you left me some breakfast?!" She called over her shoulder.

"Yummy!" her son answered, pointing at the croissants placed on the kitchen counter.

"You want one?" Ladybug asked Louis tenderly.

"I do." Adrien added, standing in the door.

"Maybe we'll eat on the terrace?" she suggested, taking the plate. "I'll just drop the spots."

After a while, she appeared on the balcony as Marinette. Louis went to his toys corner, while Emma and Hugo stuck in a tent installed in the other corner. Parents finally had a moment for themselves.

"Was it hard?" Adrien asked, putting coffee cups on the table.

"I would give a weak three on a scale of 10."

"You always give a weak three." he noted.

"We had ten only once. And enough." She sighed.

"I still don't believe that we won that day."

"And I don't believe that we managed to keep our identity secret." She shook her head. "It's been so many years, and I still have shivers on my back when we have to go visit your dad…"

"Now he's just a harmless grandpa."

"Adrien, your dad isn't so old!" Marinette replied.

"I mean, he has three grandchildren, Bugaboo. Not his age."

"Oh, OK…" she giggled and reached for a croissant.

"Mommy?" Hugo asked, suddenly materialising at the table.

"Obviously…" Adrien muttered and exchanged amused glances with his wife.

"What's up?" Marinette turned to her son.

"Why do you have to keep your identity secret?" Hugo asked.

"Oh, honey…" Marinette sighed and took her son to her lap. "You know that there are some bad people in the world, right? If they found out who we are, you would be in a great danger. By protecting our secret, we protect our loved ones. _You_, honey."

"So, if it's such a huge secret, how did you know with daddy that you were you?" Hugo asked.

"Uhm…" Marinette bit her lower lip and gave Adrien an amused look.

"Tell the story, mommy!" Emma shouted, jumping into Marinette's lap next to Hugo.

"Tell the story, tell the story!" Hugo asked.

"Tell the story, tell the story!" Adrien joined, leaning his chin on his elbows. A familiar Cat-Noir-smile appeared on his face. Marinette glared at him, and he just laughed out loud.

"Sto(r)y!" Louis shouted happily leaving his toys. After a moment he climbed on dad's lap.

Marinette felt she was in a minority. She sighed, settled herself more comfortably, hugging the children and began the story.

"A long time ago, there was a girl. Her name was Marinette."

"Mommy. Are you so old?" Emma interjected.

"You know the rules. We don't interrupt when someone tells the story." Marinette reminded her severely. "We leave all the questions to the end. Comments as well, Adrien!" she added, looking warningly at her husband.

"I love you, Bugaboo." He whispered with a smile, and she sighed. She was more than sure that he would embellish her story.

"I love you too, Kitty. And now we're listening! Once upon a time there was a girl. Her name was Marinette. She wasn't extraordinary…"

"Not true!" Adrien interjected.

"Adrien!"

"I have to stop you when you're embellishing!"

"I'm not!" Marinette said indignantly. "Before I became Ladybug, I was completely…"

"Don't even dare to finish this sentence, because we'll really argue." Adrien warned his wife. "Okay, kids. Mommy doesn't know how to tell the story. I will tell. And mommy doesn't interrupt!" He grinned at his wife and she rolled her eyes.

"OK, I'll give you a chance." She sighed.


	2. Once upon a time - Adrien's story

_**Warning! Spoilers alert! (MLB season 2)**_

x x x

Adrien grinned and began his version of the story:

"Once upon a time there was a gorgeous girl named Marinette. She had the most beautiful bluebell eyes in the world and charming smile that caused mess in boys' minds." Marinette giggled but didn't say a word. "She was a hero at school. She helped everyone, even if she didn't like someone."

"Let me guess: aunt Chloe?" Hugo murmured, and Marinette exchanged an amused glance with Adrien. The intuition of their eldest son was deeply disturbing.

"Hugo, we're not interrupting."

"I'm sorry dad…" Hugo whispered and hugged closer his mother.

"One day, a danger lay over Paris." Adrien returned to the story. "A man of extraordinary powers began to terrify the citizens by sending super-villains on them. His name was Hawkmoth."

"Let's guess…" Hugo began, but Marinette immediately stopped him.

"Hawkmoth wanted to acquire Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculouses in order to take over the world. He created supervillains by sending akumas, black butterflies full of negative emotions, which were able to take over the heart of the victim."

"Adrien, you're scaring kids…" Marinette said. "Maybe to the point?"

"But you ruin all the fun with building tension!" her husband protested.

"Don't forget that some of us here are not yet two years old." she reminded with a gentle smile. "And besides, children know this story very well. Go to the point."

"Where's the fun, Bugaboo?"

She rolled her eyes as an answer. He grinned and continued:

"Let's go back to our story. Marinette had a secret. When the city was attacked by another super-villain sent by Hawkmoth, she transformed into a superheroine, Ladybug. And her partner was a handsome and charming Cat Noir." Marinette couldn't resist, and she giggled again. "Don't laugh, honey. This is the truest truth. You've been repeating it for ages. Kids, imagine that Cat Noir fell in love with Ladybug almost at first sight."

"_Almost?!_" Marinette exclaimed indignantly.

"Honey, don't interrupt." Adrien grinned with his catlike smile, and Marinette's cheeks covered a blush. So many years had passed, but some things didn't change at all. "I remind you that our first meeting was very uncomfortable. But after you cleared so many akumas at once and spoke to the crowds, it was done."

"I see that it's easy to impress you." she interjected.

"I bet that it was a weak three for you?" he smiled.

"Eh, just one, maybe two." She shrugged.

"Returning to our story…" Adrien winked at his wife. "Cat Noir also hid his identity. Every day he was just an ordinary student…"

"Not an ordinary student but an exceptional student." Marinette cut in. "A very popular model by the way, whom half of the city was in love with. And a very unhappy boy who wasn't as loved as much as he deserved." she added quietly. Adrien gave her a sad look and she smiled warmly at him. The green flashes in his eyes immediately returned to their place.

"One day Adrien, because that was the name of this boy, took part in an advertisement of new perfumes." Adrien continued the story. "Everyone was literally crazy about this ad. And about the model. The crowds of fans pestered him all the time. He couldn't go anywhere because there was always someone who caught him. It was very exhausting. One day Adrien slipped out of the house to watch a very important movie in the cinema." Marinette smiled again, this time to her memories. "Of course, a crowd of fans surrounded him. Adrien tried to run away and bumped into his best friend, Marinette. She could then leave him to the fans and paparazzi. But no, she did everything she could to save him."

"You remember all this?" Marinette whispered in surprise.

"Every minute. It was a very important day." Adrien nodded.

"Don't interrupt, mom!" Emma said.

"I'm sorry…"

"What happened next, Daddy?"

"It soon turned out that not the fans were the biggest problem for Adrien and Marinette." Adrien continued. "The super-villain, Gorizilla, joined the hunt for the famous model. His job was to track Adrien down and take him back home. Gorizilla had a very sensitive sense of smell and it took him a few minutes to find the boy. He kidnapped Adrien from the cinema, in which the boy had hid with Marinette."

"You were on a date?" Hugo grimaced.

"It wasn't a date." Dad replied. "_Yet_. Adrien was the bait for Ladybug and Cat Noir. And indeed, after a while Ladybug appeared on the roof of the Montparnasse Tower, where Gorizilla was holding Adrien." Marinette smiled when she heard her super-name said so softly. "And Ladybug saved Adrien. Thanks to her magical yo-yo, she opened Gorizilla's fist. Adrien fell out, and she caught him with her yo-yo. They came together down to the street level. It seemed to Adrien that this was the greatest moment in his life. He'd been in love with her for so many months…"

"And she was in love with him as well." Marinette added.

"Eugh…" Hugh grimaced.

"Adrien was so impressed with what Ladybug had just done that he forgot himself for a moment and almost called her 'My Lady', as Cat Noir usually called her."

"You're calling mommy like that now." Emma interjected.

"Yes." Adrien nodded. "But Ladybug didn't notice this mistake. She focused on saving Adrien. This time before the villain. And she waited for Cat Noir's help, but he was late for action."

"I wonder why…" Hugo murmured.

"Adrien needed a replacement. Fortunately, he had a devoted fan who would gladly act as Adrien, while the real Adrien could transform into Cat Noir and help Ladybug. This catwalk let him confuse Hawkmoth about his identity. But he also confused Ladybug."

"I suggest taking a break here, honey." Marinette interrupted ignoring a collective protest. "We must eat something, otherwise we'll starve." she added. But that was just an excuse. Adrien's tale reminded her how that day ended. And she needed a while to calm down.


	3. A confession

Marinette escaped to the kitchen under the pretext of preparing a meal, leaving her husband and her children on the balcony. Her mind went straight to the day mentioned in the story – so happy for her.

She mechanically reached for the ingredients for a fruit salad, placed them on the table in front of her, but she had a blank look. Her memories appeared in her mind as if she was watching a movie. A very old movie.

On that day, she had been so scared that Adrien would be hurt that it was almost a physical pain. Especially the moment he was falling, and she couldn't save him. Telling the story Adrien smoothly omitted this detail. The detail that affected later events. Because if she hadn't experienced this horrible fear of him, she wouldn't have a courage to confess to him what she confessed.

Like Adrien, she remembered almost every minute, every important moment that had happened between them. She remembered her running down a blind alley to feed Tikki and then to transform back into Ladybug. She remembered her running in the direction Adrien had gone before. She remembered her breathlessness when she'd seen him and how his eyes lit up when he saw her.

"Are you OK?" she had asked him then.

"I'm great." He answered with a shy smile. "Thank you for saving my life."

_Even twice…_ she thought, when she realised that she'd saved him first as Marinette.

"I'm glad you haven't been hurt…" she whispered.

"I knew you'd save me."

"This time, I could not…" her voice broke down and she felt tears in her eyes.

"Hey, don't cry…" he whispered and approached her quickly.

He embraced her, and she hugged him tightly without thinking. Too much had happened during the day to make her feel intimidated. She was almost unaware that he was hugging her and stroking her hair. She felt like in a dream. And perhaps because of this, or perhaps because of earlier events, or maybe a little of both reasons… she suddenly whispered:

"I love you, Adrien."

He froze, and she realised what she'd said. She blushed and at first, she wanted to escape, but he was embracing her tight.

x x x

"Hey, Bugaboo… Are you going to cut it?" Marinette suddenly heard a warm voice close to her ear and felt so-well-known hands wrapping around her waist. She returned to reality.

"Well, of course I am." she muttered.

"And what did you think about that caused this blush on your face?" Adrien asked, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I know you know." She blushed even more.

"I _probably_ know." He nodded and added in a conspiratorial whisper: "But I'll tell you something in secret. I like talking to you."

Marinette giggled.

"What does it have to do with it?"

"I could stop asking and listening your answers because I know them. But then we'll stop talking to each other. And I like talking to you."

"You're so cute…" Marinette smiled at him.

"So, what did you think about?" he grinned.

"Oh…" she sighed.

"Don't tell me that after so many years you're still embarrassed?"

"Because _it was_ so embarrassing…"

"Absolutely _not_." he denied, embracing her tighter. "It was the most wonderful moment in my life. I mean, at that moment, because then I had a few more wonderful moments in my life."

"A few?" she spotted.

"Around million maybe." he shrugged. "Who would count it? And let me tell you something, honey. If you didn't tell me then that you loved me, I wouldn't tell you either. When I'd been falling, and I could die, I thought that the only thing I would regret was that I never told you that I loved you. But when you saved me, all my courage disappeared."

"You've never told me that." Marinette was surprised.

"I have to leave some secrets for the future. As I said. I like talking to you."

Marinette smiled to herself, hearing the warm tone of his voice. And she began preparing the meal.


	4. The first date

"Do you remember our first date?" Adrien asked, sitting next to Marinette and taking a knife to help her.

"Oh, it was terrible!"

Adrien's hand trembled and he almost cut off his fingers.

"Maybe it would be better to put away the knife, Kitty?" Marinette smiled.

"You've never told me that our first date was a nightmare!"

"Apparently, I also have some secrets left for the future." she replied. "Because I like talking to you too…"

"Don't change the subject, Bugaboo." he reminded her. "What did you mean, saying it was horrible? And why are you still with me?"

"I'm with you because I love you. Don't ask stupid questions. And the date was a nightmare, because I suspected who your father was. I shuddered to think he would use our meeting to take over my miraculum. In addition, I was afraid to meet Cat Noir, because if he saw us together, he would immediately figure out that I'd been talking about you after the action with Glaciator."

"You're right, I linked these facts." Adrien grinned at her.

"I had no idea that Cat Noir was you." Marinette reminded him.

"That evening you were everything I'd ever dreamt about." He sighed. "I thought that this evening couldn't be better."

"It _could_ be better, Adrien." Marinette whispered.

"Why?"

"Because everything took place in complete secrecy. In addition, you invited me as Ladybug, not me as Marinette. I didn't mind at the beginning. I was so happy that I'd be on a date with you. But during our date that I realised that it _was_ important to me." She finished quietly.

"So that's why…" he suddenly understood.

"Yes, that's why I broke your heart." she admitted.

x x x

_15 years before the present day_

They were to meet in the evening at Adrien's house. Ladybug ran there with mixed feelings. Unlike Cat Noir, she hadn't believed so easily that Gabriel Agreste couldn't be Hawkmoth, since he had been the victim of the akuma. She still wasn't convinced of his innocence, so she felt a slight anxiety going straight to his home. In addition, she was aware that the house was surrounded by security systems, monitoring and full control of the master of the house. On the other hand, she couldn't wait to meet Adrien. Actually, to date Adrien…

She jumped into Adrien's room through an open window. He'd been already waiting for her because he was standing in the middle of the room, holding a red rose in his hand. For a moment, she thought that she had just received a similar rose from Cat Noir and suddenly she felt sorry. If her partner caught her on this date, he would find out who she'd been talking about the other day. And she would break his heart again…

"Hi…" Adrien welcomed her shyly.

"Hey." She smiled. "So, where are we going?"

"I invite you to a private balcony." he returned the smile and approached her. He handed her a rose, which she mechanically accepted.

"A private balcony?" she repeated in amazement.

"Up here." He pointed at the mezzanine. "You asked for a secret meeting, and the only secret place in this house is actually my room. Probably the only place without cameras. At least I don't know about any." he added uncertainly after a moment.

Ladybug giggled nervously. If Adrien's father really was Hawkmoth, it would be better if there were no cameras in Adrien's room. Otherwise it would end badly. She looked around attentively but didn't notice any suspicious objects that looked like cameras. And then she climbed the stairs after Adrien.

A real picnic was prepared on the mezzanine. It looked like Adrien had tried very hard. There was even a blanket and a picnic basket full of delicacies. And again, the memory of the surprise prepared by Cat Noir for her, went through her mind.

"Please, sit down." Adrien smiled encouragingly, pointing to the blanket.

She sat there, suddenly intimidated. It was really happening. She _was_ on a date with Adrien. On _a date_!

"You're very creative." She said, reaching for a snack. "I really wondered if you could find a place where we wouldn't be found. Can you imagine what would happen in media if someone caught us? For example, Alya…"

"You know Alya Cesaire?" He spotted, and she blushed slightly. She knew she unwillingly brought about this subject.

"Sure! Who doesn't?" she equivocated.

"Do you follow her Ladyblog?"

"I'm probably its biggest fan. I just wish Alya didn't try to find out my identity at all costs."

"But why?" Adrien was surprised.

"Because it will put her in danger. My family too. My friends." she explained firmly. "You…" she added softly after a moment.

Adrien blushed when he heard that.

"Sometimes I wish I didn't get a miraculous." Ladybug confessed suddenly. "My life would be much less complicated…"

"And much more boring…" he added somewhat absently.

"You're probably right." she admitted. "I probably wouldn't have so many friends and I'd be locked in the house for days. As Ladybug, I'm a completely different person."

"Yeah, right. You think I'll believe that?" he muttered.

"What?"

"You can't have two personalities. You're not Doctor Jekyll who turned into Mr. Hyde. I won't believe that when you change into Ladybug, you're someone completely different. I'll sooner believe that you have a courage to be yourself then."

She looked at him in amazement. He said something that she only thought about secretly and that she hoped for. Was it so obvious?

And suddenly she thought that if she wasn't Ladybug, she would never be here. In Adrien's room, on a private picnic. On a date. He invited her because he loved her. He loved her as Ladybug. And he thought that in a civilian self she was very similar to Ladybug. But Marinette was a completely different person. Marinette would never agree to spend the first date in the boy's house. She'd rather insist on a neutral territory.

_Never? What about the date with Evillustrator?_ Her conscience whispered.

_That was something different. I had to save Chloe that day._

_Indeed, that is a very non-Ladybug approach._ The conscience replied.

Ladybug ran out of breath. In addition, she spotted Adrien's gaze so much astonished that she felt embarrassed even more. She jumped up from the floor and went to the railing. Why did such thoughts get to her right now, when her dreams finally came true?

But she realised that in fact, they weren't her dreams. Adrien had invited Ladybug. He would never invite Marinette…

Adrien went to the railing and glanced at Ladybug sideways. She suddenly remembered when Cat Noir had visited her once, and they stood by the railing as well. She sighed irritably. Why was she thinking about him when she was on a date with her dreamed boyfriend?

"Something happened?" Adrien asked with tension.

"Everything's fine." she answered. Oh, what a lie! She never lied! And she didn't like liars! She called herself to order. "No, I'm sorry, Adrien. It's not okay."

"But… Is something wrong? Did you expect something more?"

"No." she denied quickly and turned to him. "It's not about that. The point is, I know it won't work." She confessed, not believing that she was doing that.

"What won't work?" He didn't understand.

"This." She repeated, making a clumsy gesture pointing at them. "I… It's not easy to lead a double life, I'd call it. We're from different worlds, Adrien. I can't do it."

"But…" he hesitated. "But you said you loved me."

"Because I love you."

"And I love you too." He assured her, taking her hand.

"It's too dangerous. For you, for my miraculous. I'm sorry." She released her hand from his grip and reached for her yo-yo to escape when Adrien desperately pulled her closer and kissed her.

She melted immediately. All thoughts disappeared from her mind. If that was how the kisses looked like, she wouldn't mind kissing Adrien for the rest of her life. Not that she'd never been kissed before. But the kiss with Cat Noir didn't count.

After a moment, they moved back and looked at each other stunned. Ladybug tried to gather her thoughts, trying to remember why she was going to end this. She touched Adrien's cheek and he already knew he didn't convince her.

"I'm sorry, Adrien. Goodbye." She whispered, kissing him one last time. And after a moment she was gone.

x x x

_The present day._

"You didn't break my heart then, Bugaboo." Adrien answered her. "You just created the possibilities to make it happen."

"How?" Marinette was surprised.

"After you kissed me goodbye, I knew I had to find you. You as you." He smiled warmly at her.

Marinette looked at him gratefully and smiled back.


	5. Payback

"Dad!" an objection was heard from the balcony. "You're telling the story without us!"

"Oh, Hugo…" Marinette sighed, feeling remorse. Adrien looked stunned at his son, as if caught red-handed. Marinette quickly added: "We were talking about our first date. We didn't think it would interest you."

"A date?" Hugo repeated and winced at once. "Eugh!"

"Exactly!" Marinette laughed and hugged her son, who immediately climbed on her lap.

"I'd like to listen about the date." Emma interjected, appearing in the door. "What were you wearing, mommy?"

"Actually, mommy was on this date as Ladybug." Adrien replied, taking his daughter to his lap.

"Why?" Emma asked, and Adrien blushed. Marinette raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Because… I invited her as a Ladybug."

"But you didn't know that she was Ladybug." Hugo reminded, frowning.

Adrien couldn't shake off the shock. For the first time in his life, he noticed that his son inherited Ladybug's look from Marinette. And for the first time in his life he regretted having such wise children.

"Well… I didn't know." He admitted.

"So, you loved Ladybug, and you didn't love mommy?" Emma whispered.

Marinette giggled:

"Try to explain that." She whispered and gave him an amused look.

For fifteen years Adrien wondered when the time of revenge would come. Apparently, now was the moment of payback.

"It's complicated…" Adrien extricated himself.

"Adults always say that when they don't want to tell the truth." Hugo commented, and Marinette almost laughed aloud.

"Help me." Adrien whispered to his wife.

"Cope with that." she teased him.

"You're cruel." he replied.

"I'm not, honey. I'm sure that you will do it perfectly."

Adrien sighed.

"Your mommy was a very shy person at school. And we rarely managed to talk to each other. Mainly as Ladybug she gave me a chance to get to know her a bit. Until…" he hesitated and looked at his wife meaningfully. It was time for a small revenge, and she knew that because she blushed immediately. "Until an accident happened."

"An _accident_, daddy?" Emma got scared.

"Marinette's TV blunder." Adrien corrected, and his wife blushed even more. Despite years passing by, the memory of that terrible day still caused her great embarrassment.

"Adrien…" she warned her husband, but he only grinned at her.

"It's a very important part of our story, honey."

"I'm going for Louis." Marinette got up.

"You won't shirk, honey!" Adrien called after her. "What do you say, if we take food to the living room?" he asked the children, then took a bowl of fruit salad and moved towards the sofa. The children hurried after him.


	6. Troublemaker consequences

"There you are!" Adrien commented seeing his wife, who finally appeared in the living room with Louis on her hip.

There were only leftovers of the fruit salad, which Marinette noticed with a disappointed look. That meant, they had been busy with eating not with telling the story. Indeed, it seemed that Adrien didn't want to spare her troubles. She sighed heavily and sat in her chair. Louis ran to his toys. The story was far too long for his patience.

"Ready to continue?" Adrien asked.

"Yeah!" the older children screamed, and Marinette moaned softly:

"No…"

"So, here we go." Adrien grinned. He knew perfectly well that Marinette didn't want to hear this part of the story. But that one was his favourite. "One day a very important event took place. In the bakery of our Marinette's parents' there was recorded a live program, in which a very famous rocker Jagged Stone took part."

"Is it the same one you always listen to?" Hugo asked.

"The same one." Adrien nodded. "Marinette felt very distinguished by the choice of the famous musician, so she told all her friends that her parents would be on TV. As it turned out later, she also appeared on the vision, because Jagged Stone invited her to join him and shared with all viewers his opinion about her. And you must know that he valued her very high. When Adrien saw it on TV, he really felt proud of his friend."

"Daddy, what about this accident?" Emma asked.

"The accident happened shortly thereafter. Marinette didn't expect that she'd appear in front of the camera. She was so shocked and nervous that she showered the famous musician with flour. It worked out pretty well, because Jagged Stone was totally covered with flour from head to toe." The children chuckled, and Adrien continued his story: "To save the show, an advertising break was ordered, and the musician went to wash himself. Instead of going to the bathroom, he went to Marinette's room. And you must know that Marinette was secretly in love with Adrien, about what Adrien didn't know. Until he saw on TV how his friend's room looked like. There were plenty of pictures of himself on the walls. And Jagged Stone revealed Marinette's secret to everyone."

Marinette almost sunk into the armchair. She was so embarrassed that Adrien felt a great urge to embrace her. He smiled at her, and she replied with a faint smile.

"Marinette went into her room and she asked everyone to leave. That was a bit scandalous situation, and everyone blamed the poor assistant of Jagged Stone, Penny, who broke down in the end and then she was attacked by the akuma. She changed into Troublemaker. She could create problems instead of solving them. Luckily, superheroes also appeared there: Ladybug and Cat Noir."

"You're omitting something, dad!" Hugo was indignant.

"Omitting?" Adrien was surprised.

"Something must have happened on the way." His son insisted. "I don't think that Marinette just transformed into Ladybug and ran to fight the villain. If all my friends saw a mess in my room on TV, I would probably die from shame, not save the world."

"You see, Hugo…" Marinette said. "Sometimes you have to think about more important matters and forget about yourself for a moment."

"And that's what Ladybug reminded Cat Noir about every time he looked at the photos of Adrien in Marinette's room." Adrien added with a smile. "And there were lots of them. Not only on the walls…"

"Adrien…" Marinette sighed.

"What?" he grinned.

"Maybe I'll bring you something to drink. You have certainly dried up your throat by telling this story."

"You're so sweet, honey."

Marinette got up from her chair, and Hugo moved to his father's lap. Adrien looked at his wife leaving towards the kitchen, then whispered to the children:

"Now there will be my favourite part… You must know that Troublemaker was quite a clever villain and it was difficult to catch her, because she could make herself transparent and then you couldn't touch her. At the same time, she was very cunning. She managed to do something that no super-villain had done yet. She took off one of Ladybug's earrings. And when Ladybug began to slowly change into her civilian self, Cat Noir had noticed a part of her face without a mask. The face he knew very well." he smiled dreamily.

"Then he _lied_ that he didn't see anything." Marinette cut in, setting a jug of lemonade and glasses on the table.

"Not true." Adrien denied, to which she looked him closely in the eye. And for a moment it was like the story was just yesterday. "He said it was really close. And although he always wanted to know who Ladybug was, he didn't want to know it in that way. He didn't deny it, honey. But he didn't confirm either. But that's only because she was so confused that her identity had almost been revealed. However, if she listened to him carefully, especially his emotional voice, she would notice that he already knew. He couldn't believe he found her so quickly."

"OK, you won." she agreed hesitantly to this explanation, then kissed him and returned to the chair.

"But when did you get known that you were you?" Hugo asked impatiently.

"It wasn't so easy, darling." Marinette replied. "I couldn't go to Adrien and tell him I'm Ladybug."

"Why? Daddy already saw you! Couldn't he tell you? You would get it over with."

"Yeah, but your dad decided to tease me a little before telling me." Marinette replied wryly and gave Adrien a quick glance.

"First of all, I didn't tease you, I only tried to know you better. And secondly, as I remember, you didn't mind it." Adrien answered.

Marinette blushed again. Now, in retrospect, she judged that conversation in the locker room differently. Then she had been embarrassed and focused on saving her reputation. She didn't catch the obvious signals Adrien sent her. After all, at that moment he was evidently flirting with her.

"Penny for your thoughts, Bugaboo." Adrien whispered over her ear.

She shook off her reverie in amazement. She had to be so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that the children left the living room to play, and her husband sat next to her in the armchair.

"Why are my thoughts so valuable to you?" she asked him.

"You have a dreamy look and a blush on your face. You must think about _me_." he smiled with his cat's smile.

"I was thinking about that our talk." She confessed quietly.

"Mmmm, in the locker room?" he guessed.

"Yeah…" she nodded.

"One of my favourite memories." He smiled at her and put his arm around her.

"I think mine too." She whispered and nestled down in his embraces. "Although then I was totally confused."

"Rather cutely embarrassed." he corrected. "What a pity you denied everything because who knows? Maybe we would save some complications."

"I'm very curious how you wanted to play it, considering that I knew that you were dating Ladybug."

"I wasn't dating. I dated." He corrected again. "That was only one date. And you broke up with me. Besides, I knew that you would deny, so I played it exactly as I wanted." He whispered in her ear, and she unknowingly smiled.

Indeed, he played it perfectly…


	7. Photo session

_15 years before the present day_

Marinette sat on a bench and felt so nervous… Adrien had invited her to take part in his photoshoots and today was the day it was to happen. They were to meet in the park, from where he would take her to a photo session. She wasn't nervous because she'd never seen Adrien's photoshoot. She was nervous because for the first time she was supposed to be on it officially, not in secret…

"Hey!" Adrien greeted her with a wide smile. "Ready for a very boring afternoon?"

"Su-sure!" she stuttered and jumped up from the bench.

"So, let's go, I'll show you the way." He reached out his hand and she could barely control her hand from trembling when she gave it to him. "But I warn you, it _really_ will be boring."

"You know, if I'm going to associate my life with it, it may be better to get used to it." She muttered under her breath, and Adrien gave her an amused look.

"Are you really going to associate your life _with it_?" he asked with the same knowing smile, with which he'd asked in the locker room whether she was lying. Marinette immediately blushed.

"You-you know… I'd like to work in fa-fashion…" she stammered.

"Oh, right." He nodded, again with that amused look. "I hope I won't ruin your plans."

Marinette didn't know what to answer. She didn't quite understand where this sudden change in Adrien's behaviour came from. After all, it was impossible that Jagged Stone's revelations were the reason of that! After all, Adrien "bought" her explanation that these photos were hanging because she was interested in fashion. And yet he behaved with her as if he hadn't. And he kept holding her hand all the time. She wasn't sure whether he did it on purpose or rather unconsciously. She walked next to him, dazed, and the more she thought about it, the more she was in a mess.

She knew that her current state of mind could lead to a catastrophe in which ruining her reputation would only be a detail. To call herself to order, she decided to concentrate on the afternoon with Adrien like on a task. Yes, she had to treat it as Ladybug.

After a short walk, during which they didn't talk at all, they finally reached the place that the photographer had chosen for a photoshoot. It wasn't particularly picturesque – just the Seine embankment. Under the bridge. Marinette looked around surprised. What photo session could take place somewhere like here? And where was she supposed to sit at this time? On a dirty wall that stank so much that she wouldn't like even to come closer?

Adrien grabbed her hand more firmly and, in a mysterious way, suddenly turned her toward himself so that they stood face to face, and she completely forgot her ideas to control the situation. Blood began to throb at her temples, not helping in focusing. '_Reputation! Save your reputation, Marinette!'_

"I told you it would be boring." Adrien sighed. "But I'll try not to let it last long."

"Don't worry, I'll see ho-how it loo-looks like." She tried to sound as being at ease.

"Young lady will leave the take!" The photographer yelled.

"The lady must sit down somewhere." Adrien replied calmly, winking at Marinette. "There's a bench over there." He whispered in her ear, and she felt a tingle on her neck. She really felt totally confused.

"Mmmm." She murmured and left toward the bench.

She didn't notice the half-smile that Adrien had with his eyes. When she sat comfortably on the bench, he turned into his professional appearance and focused on the photographer's orders, as if he really wanted to quickly finish the photo session.

She watched him with interest. Finally, she could do it openly, without hiding behind walls or trees in the park. She also didn't have Alya around, who would always whisper in her ear that she should approach Adrien and talk to him.

From time to time, she caught Adrien's gaze, and although at the beginning she felt embarrassed at such moments, after some time she got used to it and simply smiled at him in response. The session was so long that they developed non-verbal communication, exchanging more and more information without words – with their eyes or face expression. Marinette felt more and more comfortable and was more and more amused. For a moment she felt almost as if she had a similar thread of understanding between them that she had with only one boy – Cat Noir. Only with him she could communicate without words. Well, but after so many fights and jokes couldn't be otherwise. Now she suddenly discovered that such a way of communication would work with someone else.

"Please, tell me you have something to eat in this purse…" Adrien sighed as the photographer released him for a moment. He sat down to Marinette and looked with curiosity at her purse.

She blushed. She would never open this purse in front of him! He couldn't see Tikki!

"I could take nothing more than five macaroons in this purse." she replied, shaking her head. "But don't worry I have something…" she added after a while with a smile and reached for a brown bag of snacks, which she had packed in her parents' bakery.

"You're saving my life!" he grinned at her, and she – for the first time in her life – didn't start to stutter, only smiled in return. "Quick before they will look!"

He ate the entire croissant before the photographer realised that something forbidden was smuggled for the photoshoot.

"No, no, no! No fats! Nor carbohydrates!"

"It's best to drink water and die of hunger…" Adrien whispered, and Marinette giggled. "Thank you, Marinette. From now on you are a regular part of my photo sessions."

"When they find out I'm feeding you, I'll be blacklisted and with a restraining order." she replied jokingly.

"I'll never allow it." he whispered, looking deeply into her eyes, and she ran out of her breath.

When did it happen? And how? A few days ago, he'd confessed the love to Ladybug, and now… Actually, she didn't know what was happening now. But Adrien was certainly behaving differently than usual. And she completely didn't understand it.

x x x

The photo session lasted almost until the evening. Marinette could barely suppress yawning and couldn't marvel at Adrien's endurance. Darkness fell much faster as dark clouds came over Paris, and at the least appropriate moment it began raining, flooding all the photographic equipment placed on the Seine embankment.

Adrien rushed to help the photographer, trying to hide as much valuable equipment under the bridge as possible, when suddenly he felt the great hand of his bodyguard caught him and led him to the car. Adrien hadn't cooled down yet and almost started the argument with the driver that he had left Marinette alone when he saw her next to him in the car. Water dripped from her hair and even from her eyelashes. She stared at him in amazement. Everything happened so fast.

Before they realised what was happening, the car was already approaching the Agreste's manor. The bodyguard escorted them both to Adrien's room unceremoniously, then locked the door behind them and stood guard. As usual. Even though water dripped from him as well.

"You're soaked." Adrien pointed out. "I'll try to find something dry to dress for you."

"N-no, no ne-eed…" Marinette stuttered.

"And you must drink something warm." Adrien ignored her words.

He went quickly to the bathroom and after a while returned with a big towel. Marinette's hands were shaking – this time because of the cold – that she couldn't wipe her head, so Adrien took the towel from her and carefully began to wipe her head from the water, then wrapped the towel around her.

"You're wet too." She whispered.

"I'm used to rain." he rubbed himself with the other towel. "Not such things happen. Sometimes I have a photo session in a total wasteland and there is nowhere to hide. Don't go anywhere. I'll find some dry clothes for you!"

Marinette approached to the couch and sat on the very edge of it. She was still dripping with water, but Adrien's towel absorbed most of water. A moment later, Adrien came back with a tray with two cups of something hot.

"I'm not saying that you have to drink everything, but at the beginning take even a sip. And then you have to change."

"And y-you?" She asked, tamely taking a sip of hot chocolate.

"Ladies first." He answered with a smile, then took her hand and led her to the bathroom. "Don't worry about me. Scream if you need anything." He squeezed her hand and kissed her on the cheek. And he left.

At the beginning, Marinette didn't notice anything unusual in that what had just happened. After all, a few days ago she was here on a date with Adrien, during which they kissed and more than once. It took her a moment to realise that she wasn't Ladybug now. She was _herself_ here.

Suddenly she decided that there was no option to ever leave the bathroom. Then she heard the noise in Adrien's room. Carefully, she opened the door and her heart sank. Adrien was sitting terrified on the couch, and there was a black and white super-villain above him with a camera with a huge flashlight. She closed the door and whispered:

"Tikki, spots on!"

After a moment she jumped in through the open window into the room as Ladybug. The super-villain turned to her with a menacing smile and aimed the camera at her.

"Watch out!" Adrien shouted.

"You can't escape, a little red insect!" the super-villain said slowly. "Soon we'll see you in the negative!"

"Who are you, black-and-white-freak?" Ladybug answered back, running on the mezzanine.

She noticed that everything that her opponent hit with his flashlight changed the colours to the opposite, as if he indeed turned them into a negative.

"I'm Negative. I turn white into black. What's good, I change into bad."

"Useful function." she joked. "You should try to take a photo of Hawkmoth…"

Adrien chuckled. He liked this girl so much! What a pity he had to leave for a moment to transform into Cat Noir. But if he went to the bathroom, Ladybug would know that he knew her identity. On the other hand, he can pretend to go check on what was up with Marinette. It wasn't forbidden, right?

"Where are you going, young model?" Negative asked him before Adrien managed to reach the bathroom door. Ladybug held her breath for a moment. Adrien could soon find out that she wasn't there. That _Marinette_ wasn't there. "Would you like to hide? Or maybe you hid someone there? Maybe that irritating girl who almost ruined our photo session today?"

"What?" Adrien and Ladybug asked at the same time.

"If she wasn't there, constantly distracting you, we could finish the shoots before this downpour!" Negative got angry. "I wouldn't destroy the equipment for hundreds, thousands of euros! Girls mean problems!"

And he approached to the door.

Ladybug didn't wait any longer. She hugged Adrien and jumped out of the window into the rain.

"God, have I lost my mind?!" She repeated quietly to herself, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. She didn't pay any attention to Adrien, who could hear it all.

"Ladybug, you have to leave me somewhere immediately." Adrien interjected.

"I need to hide you somewhere, Adrien." She muttered irritably.

She couldn't control irritation. He had confessed his love to her a few days ago! And now he was picking up other girls, kissing them in his bathroom! Oh my God! She started thinking about herself in _the third person_! And in the _plural_…

"You don't need to. Stop hiding me. The farther you take me, the longer you'll be going back."

He was worried about her. About Marinette. She felt happiness mixed with jealousy. So far, she'd felt this jealousy in the opposite direction. She didn't think that she would ever be jealous of Marinette as Ladybug. She felt completely lost, which only made her irritate more.

"I have to…" she began again, but he interrupted her.

"You have to come back." He ordered her impatiently. "Immedia…" he didn't finish, because his pocket just sneezed. "Great, just great…" he sighed.

Ladybug looked at him with eyes wide opened. Adrien blushed, but there was no turning back. Wet Plagg fell out of his pocket and said wryly:

"I'm going to get sick right away. Let's do it finally."

"I'm sorry, Ladybug." Adrien sighed. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. Plagg, claws out!"

"We have to talk, Cat" Ladybug drawled.

"So, we're set up." Cat Noir grinned. "Duties first."

And they went to meet Negative.


	8. Rooftop date

Ladybug landed softly on the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral. Adrien was already there. Adrien, not Cat Noir. She immediately felt irritation. He did it on purpose! He knew that in his civilian self he would have more influence on her! No way! She'd tell him, that she wouldn't tolerate manipulation, deceit or lies! If he thought it would be better for him to take off his mask so that it would be harder to yell at him, he was soooo mistaken! She was going to yell. She would tell him…

Nope, she wouldn't. All he had to do was to smile at her uncertainly, and all her anger was gone. It was unfair! She just realised that it wasn't the case if Adrien was wearing Cat Noir's mask or not, that smile would disarm her anyway. Because it was still him. Irritating, but charming _him_. For a moment she wondered if he would think about her in the same way that no matter with or without the mask – she was still the same person. Immediately, however, she abandoned this idea. No, he would never think about her like that.

"We have so beautiful clear sky after today's downpour." Adrien said.

"I haven't come to talk about the weather." she murmured.

"You know, I've always dreamed of a date on the roof of Notre Dame."

"This is not a date, Cat." She reminded angrily.

"Let me have a different opinion." he smiled charmingly and took a red rose from behind his back. "I even brought you an olive branch. For an apology. I know I messed a bit."

"Rather quite a lot." She sighed, feeling that her anger was disappearing again. How the hell was he doing that?!

"Bugaboo…" he began, approaching to her and handing her a flower.

"I asked you to stop calling me that." She protested weakly, unknowingly accepting the rose.

"But I can't stop." He smiled again and came even closer. "I told you that you're the girl of my life."

"Adrien, you can't give me flowers, say you love me and kiss other girls in the bathroom at the same time!" she outraged.

"How do you know that I kiss the girls in the bathroom?" He spotted with his catlike smile.

"I just know and that's all!" she blushed.

"Are you lying _again_?" he leaned over her exactly as he had done in the locker room a few days ago, and she felt weak.

"How did you…?"

"You told me to find you." he answered simply.

"When? I've never told you anything like that!" she replied.

"You said that we belong to different worlds. That was obvious to me that I should find you in my civilian world." he explained with a grin on his face and embraced her.

"But that didn't mean a permission to pick up all the girls around!" she tried to sound in a harsh tone, but the fact that he held her in his arms ruined the whole effect.

"I didn't start picking up all the girls around." He answered. "I started to pick up you and _only you_."

"You could have told me…" she whispered.

"It was so much funnier."

"I'll show you _funnier_!" she threatened.

"I love you Marinette." He whispered with a smile and kissed her. Destroying all her arguments.

x x x

_The present day_

"Eugh! You're kissing again!" Hugo moaned seeing his parents kissing in the armchair.

Marinette returned to reality. She looked dazed at her eldest child and laughed. She wouldn't even try to explain to him how happy she was that she had so wonderful family. Because it was impossible to express it in words. Just as it was impossible to describe in words how much she loved Adrien. For who he was, for what he was. And for the fact that this wonderful family she had thanks to him.

THE END 3


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